


Smells Like Home

by Trex_patronus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (sorry), Amortentia, Family Fluff, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, James Potter is a Good Friend, Potions, Potions Class (Harry Potter), Sirius Black Gets a Hug, The Potters Are Indian, found family fluff, i love these two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28847313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trex_patronus/pseuds/Trex_patronus
Summary: Basically it's the Amortentia cliché (you know the one: person A thinks they can't smell anything cause they're standing next to person B), but with a "found family" sort of twist on it.  Because Amortentia, while it inspires romantic love, does not always have to smell like things you associate with romantic love.
Relationships: Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & Potter Family, hints at Lily Evans/James Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	Smells Like Home

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing! This world belongs to JK Rowling. I am but a humble fan, who is writing for my own (and hopefully your) enjoyment!

"I think it's done." James Potter observed, looking at the shimmering, pearly white potion in his friend's cauldron.

Sirius Black shook his head. "Couldn't be. I can't smell anything." He leaned in closer to his potion and inhaled. The odd thing was, he shouldn't have needed to. His textbook said Amortentia was incredibly aromatic, not to mention how much his sense of smell had heightened since fifth-year. There was a hint of...some sort of spice? But at this point Sirius was pretty sure he was just imagining it.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when he felt James' hand still his. "Don't over stir, mate. Dad says you've gotta figure out what you did wrong before you do anything else."

James' dad, Fleamont Potter was a somewhat famous potioneer, known for inventing Sleakeazy's hair potion. He was a great person, and Sirius had grown to see him as a second father (or perhaps a first father, to tell the truth) ever since he'd moved in with James when they were both sixteen. He'd rather not think about it at the moment, but the short story was that his so-called "home" had simply gotten to be too much.

"Hey, Lily!" James exclaimed, waving at where Lily Evans, the potions prodigy of their year, was working with their other friend, Remus Lupin. She looked up, and James grinned at her. "Can you help us?" Lily nodded, her face slightly red, and began walking over.

"I reckon she likes you." Sirius observed, having noticed her blush.

"Nah, she doesn't." James replied, slightly dejected. "We're friends now. It's fine. Better even. I'm over her, really mate."

Sirius hmm-ed in response, glancing at James cauldron. He didn't have to speculate too much on what James may or may not have smelled, but really, he was too fed up with this potion to care much for James' love life just then. He was flipping through his potions book, trying to find where he went wrong, when Lily approached them.

"What do you boys need help with?" she asked, leaning against the front of their table.

"Sirius can't smell anything," James said nodding at Sirius and his cauldron.

Lily scrutinized the potion. "It seems to be the right shade...you added all your silver powder, yes?" Sirius nodded, and gestured at his empty mortar. "Okaaay." Lily bit her lip, thinking. "Did you add two many rose petals? They're very fragrant, too many, and all you'd be able to smell is rose."

"But I _can't_ smell rose," Sirius pointed out. "I can't smell _anything_."

"You're right...it's awfully odd." She inhaled. "No, you definitely did it right. It smells like…" she trailed off, and Sirius saw her eyes flit to James for half a second, before returning to look at Sirius. She cleared her throat, and continued. "It smells how it usually does for me. James?"

"What?" James asked, surprised at being addressed.

"Does it smell normal to you?" she asked. "Sirius' potion?"

James inhaled. "Oh, yeah, definitely. Smells like...y'know, the usual." He blushed, and tried to avoid staring at Lily.

 _Oh my Godric, do they have to do this now?_ Sirius thought. He didn't say that, though. "So, what's wrong, then?" he asked instead. "Why can't I smell anything?"

Lily chewed on her lip, and looked around, thinking. "You know what it could be? You could be too close to the ingredients. They can smell fairly strong. I mean...the potion should be stronger, but I suppose it's possible, theoretically, that one who disliked strong smells would have a less stronger smelling Amortentia, because, well obviously it's meant to smell like what attracts or comforts you, and it would be quite counterproductive of it to be overly fragrant when one--"

"Lily!" Sirius interrupted. "Slow down there. The ingredients might be too potent, you said?"

"Yes, I suppose. I mean, it's all I can think of." she replied.

"Brill." His dog senses must have picked up on the ingredients instead of the potion. That had to be it...right? "So, what do I do?"

Lily thought about it for all of two seconds before grabbing his cauldron, and walking to Slughorn's desk. Sirius turned to James, who just shrugged. He reluctantly followed her to the front of the room.

"Professor, Sirius was having trouble smelling his potion. I figure it might have to do with how strong the ingredients can smell, especially back in that corner. Now, I know you don't want the potions leaving the classroom, and with good reason, of course," Lily was surprisingly good at this. She was fairly convincing l, and of course it didn't hurt that she was Slughorn's favorite. "But really, I'd be happy to go with him, and keep an eye on things." At this point Lily adjusted her sweater ever-so-slightly that her head girl badge got the light. Not a bad touch, if Sirius did say so.

"Why of course, of course!" Slughorn declared, beaming at Lily. "Go on, I trust you, of course, Lily." Lily smiled back at him, before discreetly elbowing Sirius in the chest.

"Ow…um, thank you, sir." he muttered.

Lily turned around to begin walking out of the room, and Sirius saw her rolling her eyes. While Slughorn was shouting that "of course, of course, anytime, young boy" or something like that, Sirius whispered to Lily "That was smooth. You'd make a wonderful Marauder."

Lily scoffed, "It was hardly breaking the rules, Sirius."

"Still," Sirius muttered, "we can always use a teacher's pet." He nodded his head at Remus as they walked past his desk. Lily raised her eyebrows. "Well, that _and_ he's our friend. But so are you, Evans."

"Right," Lily said, holding the door open, and handing him his cauldron as he walked past. He leaned in and inhaled. He could definitely smell it, but it was decidedly still the smell of the potions room. "Well?" Lily asked, stepping out of the doorway and into the corridor.

"It just smells like the classroom…" he inhaled, and caught a strong whiff of the spices he thought he had noticed earlier, though they were more recognizable now, "and...masala" he finished. “Spices.” he added at Lily’s confused expression.

"What kind of spices?" Lily asked.

"All sorts, I guess. Saffron, cardamom, turmeric. They're very...fragrant." Sirius realized where he'd smelled these before. "They're the sort that Mu...Mrs. Potter uses." Then, Sirius suddenly realized something. _Of course_ , he thought, _that's why I couldn't smell it in the classroom._ "Thanks, Lily! You're the best!"

Lily looked at him, confused. "I...okay? What did you smell?" 

Sirius didn't really want to tell her. Lily knew he lived with James, but he didn't want to get into it. He just smirked at her. "What did _you_ smell?"

Lily flushed bright red. "Well, I...it's complicated. Sort of...private actually, I'd rather not…" she stammered, "you don't have to tell me, if yours is private, I just…"

"Relax, Evans, it's not a big deal. Thanks again!" Sirius said, walking past her back into the classroom, where Slughorn was walking around assigning grades to students' potions. Lily followed him in, and they went to their desks. He sat down at his table next to James, and put his cauldron in front of him.

"Well?" James asked, "Did it work?"

"Yeah, just fine," Sirius muttered, nervously tracing a circle on the table with his finger. He found the whole situation rather embarrassing. Sure, James would be cool about it, but...well, he just wasn't great at these sorts of conversations. Feelings-conversations. 

"So? What was it? What did you smell? Why wasn't it working here?" James grinned at him, "Don't tell me your Amortentia smells like _potions ingredients_!" Sirius blushed, and kept his eyes focused on the table. James noticed his sudden silence and asked, "Does it? Smell like potions ingredients?" Sirius looked at him and nodded. This was positively mortifying. "Oh, Pads. Mate, I didn't mean to...I mean, that's okay. I just...I never thought you liked the class much, is all. It's fine, really, I don't care one way or another."

Sirius shook his head. "It's not the class, it- it was more like...your dad’s brewing room. And...your mum’s masala, I...it smelled like...your house." He didn't really know what else to say, so he kept his head down.

Their conversation paused as Slughorn came over to grade their potions, before vanishing them with his wand. He assigned the homework (2 feet on the purpose of the ingredients in Amortentia) and dismissed the class.

"Really?" James asked, as they packed up their stuff. "My house?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I guess cause...y'know, you guys are like family to me, and I guess that...well, it's more of a home than Grimmauld was, and...I don't know Prongs, I'm not good at...this sorta thing. You know that."

James laughed. "It's okay, mate."

They headed out of the classroom with Remus and Peter, before splitting off to go to muggle studies.

They were about halfway there when James brought it up again. "I'm glad you moved in with us." he said, suddenly. Sirius turned to look at his best friend. "I mean, it's been nice having you around, of course, but really...I'm just glad you got out of that house."

"Thanks," Sirius muttered, looking down at his shoes.

He didn't like talking about Grimmauld, much. He missed his brother, even if Regulus clearly didn't miss him. At least he knew his brother was safe, Regulus had never made Mother angry the way Sirius did.

He looked back up at James. “Thanks for saying that. And for...being my friend, and taking me in, and...not laughing at me, with the potion.”

“Padfoot,” James said, smiling and shaking his head. “You’re my best mate, you know I’d do anything for you.” James stopped walking, and pulled Sirius into a hug. They stood like that, for a brief moment, before remembering they were, in fact, in the middle of the corridor.

“And I’d never laugh at you,” James added, as they continued on their way. Sirius raised his eyebrows. “Okay, sometimes,” James admitted, “but it’s usually justified.”

“Git,” Sirius muttered, reaching over to mess up James' hair. James ducked out of the way, and stuck his tongue out. “Whatever, your hair doesn’t need my help to look like a bird’s nest,” Sirius mocked.

“Hey!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?


End file.
